In a motor vehicle, the torque from a drive motor (especially an internal combustion engine) is to be transmitted via a flywheel, a clutch, a transmission, a differential (change-speed gear) to a drive wheel.
If two of the above-mentioned components are arranged spatially apart from one another, then they are to be connected to each other by a drive shaft for the torque which is to be transmitted from one component to the other component. Drive shafts of this kind tend to oscillate and vibrate in an unwanted manner.
In "Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift" of Jun. 6, 1976, starting at page 259, a drive shaft is described which is surrounded by a tube functioning as an ancillary support. A bearing having a rubber ring is mounted between the shaft and the tube and is intended to insulate against vibrations. This kind of vibration damping has been determined to be completely inadequate. In this connection, reference can be made, for example, to German patent publication 2,747,225, column 1, lines 38 to 51.
German patent publication 1,178,303 in combination with German patent publication 1,113,367 describe a drive shaft configured as a metal rod which is surrounded by vibration dampers at specific locations.
The problem of this kind of massive drive shaft having external dampers is that these external dampers have a relatively large radius. These vibration absorber masses are also not protected against external effects such as dirt and damage because they are mounted outside on the massive drive axle.
Besides vibration dampers for complete shafts wherein the vibration damper is mounted outside on the drive shaft configured from solid material, vibration dampers are also known which are mounted within a hollow supporting tube fixed against rotation and surrounding the massive drive shaft.
German patent publication 1,755,860 covers a vibration absorber of a drive shaft wherein the vibration absorbers are configured in the form of annular-shaped rubber springs burdened by mass. These rubber springs are disposed between the drive shaft and, if required, a hollow tube serving as protection. The hollow tube is optionally provided and is intended to serve, if needed, as an additional vibration absorber mass. This hollow tube is more or less rigidly connected to the engine block and possibly also to other vehicle parts. For this reason, a most inadequate reduction of the vibrations emanating from the engine results.
A trouble-free decoupling of the vibration absorber mass and other masses is not possible with this configuration.
A complete separation of massive drive shaft and hollow tube is provided in the arrangement described in German patent publication 2,747,225. However, here a vibration absorber mass is only mounted on the hollow tube. It is, however, the drive axle itself which preferably tends to unwanted vibrations. For this drive axle, no damping measures whatsoever are provided so that such a vibrating axle can transmit its vibrations via the components (engine, transmission, et cetera) more or less unhindered to the vehicle. These components are connected force-tight to the drive axle.
Hollow shafts are also known. In view of the teaching which can be taken from the state of the art described above, the person of skill would arrange the required damping on the outer side of the hollow shaft. The person of skill would then be confronted with the difficulties known from massive drive shafts.
Vibration dampers for hollow shafts have, however, also been suggested wherein the vibration damper is mounted within the hollow shaft. Proceeding from a simple embodiment comprising matching mass and elastic layer, German patent publication 3,632,418 describes a vibration absorber wherein a matching mass is connected via an elastic covering to the inner wall of a drive shaft as well as via a further elastic layer to an absorber mass. Apart from the consideration that this absorber arrangement is configured asymmetrically with respect to a cross section, it exhibits a considerable structural length in the axial direction. For these reasons, this kind of vibration absorber cannot be mounted on the antinode of vibration of a tube shaft tending to vibrate. The further embodiment wherein a deformable body can be clamped in the hollow shaft likewise has a considerable axial length. Here, the same disadvantages already mentioned are presented.